Lift system intended for free-falling persons

ABSTRACT

It is difficult for free-falling persons to modify substantially their flight trajectory by performing body movements. The lift system of the present invention allows the user of said system to determine himself and in a large amount the direction of his flight. The lift system allows the person to modify substantially her trajectory with her limbs and using lift bodies as well as lift surfaces This lift system is particularly well suited for use as sport equipment for parachutists.

[0001] It is known that parachutists and sky divers can vary their position relative to the direction of fall by having their bodies assume different positions during the free-fall phase of their dive. Deviations of a few degrees relative to the undisturbed ballistic falling curve can even be achieved through favorable body positions. However, the aerodynamic control forces that can be achieved are not sufficient to significantly change the flight path.

[0002] The problem on which the present invention is based is that a person in free fall is not capable of significantly altering his flight path.

[0003] This problem is solved by the features characterized in Patent claim 1. Other advantageous embodiments are derived from the description.

[0004] The advantages achieved with the present invention consist of the fact that a human in free fall is enabled to convert control motions of his/her extremities and head into effective changes in direction with the help of lift surfaces. Furthermore, the additional lift yields the advantage of significantly prolonging the free-fall phase and converting it into a gliding phase.

[0005] The object of this invention is explained in greater detail below on the basis of a drawing illustrating the embodiment, where

[0006]FIG. 1 shows a front view of a person with a lift system as described above, and

[0007]FIG. 2 shows a rear view of a person with a lift system as described above.

[0008] To achieve a stable flight position, it is advantageous to impart an overall shape in the form of a delta wing to the system as a whole, because a delta wing (backswept wing) has the property of inherent stability. The use of other wing designs requires the use of tail units or stabilization surfaces. The person's extremities and even his/her head are used for control in the free-flight phase. In contrast with other methods, it is not essentially necessary to have one's extremities attached to the lift surfaces or to use control surfaces for control purposes. This leads to a freer feeling in flight. It may be necessary to integrate additional aerodynamic control surfaces (A) which are controlled by the extremities into the system, depending on the characteristics of the system as a whole (the person and the lift system). To prevent the forces on the human body that occur in maneuvering from becoming too great, the largest possible area must be used for force induction of the mainly positive (dorsal) and negative (ventral) forces and moments that occur in flight as well as all other forces and moments. A belt system or a chest harness (B), shown in the drawing as a modified parachute harness, which also makes it possible to transmit forces to the person's pelvic area, fulfills this function the best. For better wearability, it may be made entirely or partially of flexible materials or it may be only partially closed. This also permits better ventilation for the person. To optimize the lift, the lift body (E) is adapted to the aerodynamic requirements of a wing system by molded parts (F) in the shoulder area.

[0009] For jumping out of an aircraft, the wing-like widened areas (C) of the lift body are best folded or retracted entirely or partially about axes of rotation (x-x) in order to take into account the limited door width of aircraft. In the initial free-fall phase, these parts can serve to bring the person into a stable falling position. The wing-like widened areas (C) are then unfolded or extracted and locked in position either aerodynamically, by muscle force or by using actuators deployed before jumping. For landing, it is appropriate to use a delay system of a different design, such as a parachute system (D) because the minimal flight speed of a lift system like that described above would be much too large because of its wing load in the final flight phase for a person to be able to manage it. The landing process would also require acrobatic body control even with a suitable wing load.

[0010] To simplify landing or in an emergency situation, it could be necessary to create the possibility of being able to separate the entire system or parts thereof from the parachutist's body in any phase of free fall or landing. 

20. A lift system for free-falling persons, characterized by a lift body with a belt system which can be detachably attached to a person, where the lift body is designed so that is defines a direction of flight in the longitudinal axis of the person, and by a device for detaching the system in the free-fall phase, the flight phase or the landing phase from the person and characterized by an overall delta-wing-shaped design.
 21. A lift system according to claim 20, characterized by supporting belts attached to the lift body.
 22. A lift system according to claim 20, characterized by wing-like widened areas.
 23. A lift system according to claim 20, characterized by telescoping lift surfaces which enable a person to move out of an aircraft and remove him/herself from it in a controlled manner before the gliding phase can be initiated by telescoping and locking same.
 24. A lift system according to claim 20, characterized by a chest harness connected to the lift body.
 25. A lift system according to claim 20, characterized by the use of backswept wings.
 26. A lift system according to claim 20, characterized by the additional mounting of tail units for stabilization about the various geometric axes.
 27. A lift system according to claim 20, characterized by the additional mounting of collapsible or unfoldable tail units for stabilization about the various geometric axes.
 28. A lift system for free-falling persons, characterized by a lift body with a belt system which can be detachably attached to a person, where the lift body is designed so that it defines a direction of flight in the longitudinal axis of the person, and by a device for detaching at least a portion of the system from the person in the free-fall phase, the flight phase or the landing phase, and by an overall delta-wing-like shape.
 29. A lift system according to claim 28, characterized by two belts attached tot he lift body.
 30. A lift system according to claim 28, characterized by a chest harness attached to the lift body.
 31. A lift system according to claim 28, characterized by wing-like widened areas in the hip area.
 32. A lift system according to claim 28, characterized by telescoping lift surfaces which enable a person to step out of an aircraft and depart from it in a controlled manner before the gliding phase can be initiated by telescoping and locking of same.
 33. A lift system for free-falling persons, characterized by a lift body with a belt system which can be detachably attached to a person, where the lift body is designed so that it defines a direction of flight in the longitudinal axis of the person, and characterized by a delta-wing-like overall shape and by telescoping lift surfaces which enable a person to step out of an aircraft and to remove him/herself from it in a controlled manner before the gliding phase can be initiated by telescoping and locking same.
 34. A lift system according to claim 14, characterized by supporting belts attached to the lift body.
 35. A lift system according to claim 14, characterized by a chest harness attached to the lift body.
 36. A lift system according to claim 14, characterized by wing-like widened areas.
 37. A lift system according to claim 14, characterized by the use of backswept wings.
 38. A lift system for free-falling person, characterized by a lift body with a belt system which can be detachably attached tot he person, where the lift body is designed so that it defines a direction of flight in the longitudinal axis of the person and a delta-wing-like overall shape and has backswept wings.
 39. A lift system according to claim 19, characterized by aerodynamic control surfaces.
 40. A lift system according to claim 19, characterized by the fact that mounts to accommodate at least on reserve parachute, at least one drive, control systems and/or weapons are provided.
 41. A lift system according to claim 19, characterized by a chest harness to accommodate one ore more parachutes. 